On Sunday morning, I took off early for me for a Sunday and headed to the local county range. After writing about My Favorite Range Gun, I realized I had not shot some of my favorites in too long awhile. So, I dug out 3 of them, all 22's - the S&W Model 17, the Ruger MKII and the Beretta 70S. Then I scavenged around for a good variety of 22 ammo and came up with about 10 different types. I grabbed a couple of full boxes each of: American Eagle High Velocity 40 gr. solid point, Armscor Precision 36 gr. hollow point, CCI Blazer 40 gr. solid point, CCI Mini Mag hollow point, CCI Standard Velocity 40 gr. solid point, Federal Champion Standard Velocity solid point, Remington High Velocity solid point, Remington Subsonic solid point, Remington Target solid point, and Remington Thunderbolt solid point.
In the hour I spent shooting, I probably shot about 300 rounds or so and only fired 2 of the pistols to do it. I fired the Ruger MKII and the S&W Model 17, never getting around to the Beretta 70S. I shot okay, not my best but still pretty good. One thing that always amazes me is the different groupings I usually get with varying 22 ammo. While most shot right on center or pretty much so, with 2 of the 10 varieties, I shot off to the left. I tried each of them again and again shot to the left. It only happened with 2 brands - I'll be damned if I remember which ones, wrote it on the targets but am too lazy to get up to dig them out right now. Another thing that amazes me is that I got the best groups, with both pistols, while firing some of the cheapest ammo you can buy - the CCI Blazer. This has happened before with one of my rifles, it shot the Blazer ammo the best by far over some other ammo I fired through it. Go figure. As for ammo I fired, on Sunday, that I do remember - I was left unimpressed by the Armscor Precision, CCI Standard velocity and by the Remington Target ammo. They were all over the place, well for my groups anyway. I was shooting two hand hold unsupported at 15 yards. All of them produced groups that would have been more than good enough for self defense type shooting but I am not about to use a pistol in 22LR for self defense if I can help it. As far as target shooting, plinking, or hunting would go, shooting any of that ammo out of those pistols, I would have to go with the CCI Blazer. I must have gotten a very good batch of it. I have a partial and full brick left over. I hope the full brick is the same lot number as the partial one that I have been shooting up.
That was it for Sunday but not it for the week, not by a long shot. I was back at the range on Monday evening. I decided to bring along 200 rounds of 40S&W and practice with my issued SIG 229 DAK. I did pretty well. At 25 yards, holding two hands unsupported, I was able to get about a 6-7 inch group. Yeah, I know, not great but good enough for me. My eyes and shoulders are not what they once were and anyway a group that size on a man sized target is more than good enough for effect. I was pretty happy with it considering I was shooting without any support. In closer, my groups were better, I did much better at 15 yards, 10 yards, and 7 yards (a nice one hole group). So i did very well closer in as far as group sizes went, that is until I shot rapid fire at 3 yards and the group was about 8 inches. That was okay though since I was firing as fast as I could without using the sights, punching out to firing level from chest ready, firing 3 shots, then 2 round volleys until I got off all 13, then reloaded and fired all 12 as rapidly as I could get them off. I was happy with my shooting and anyone I might have been shooting at would not have been happy about it.
Oh yeah, I also shot the S&W Model 17 again and this time also fired the Beretta 70S. Had a lot of fun shooting them and had a lot of time left over because I went through the 200 rounds of .40S&W with my SIG in about a half an hour. I shot a bit more than an hour, maybe 10 or 15 minutes over and simply had a blast (as usual). I wish I had more time and more 40 S&W ammo with me but I didn't. At least I had the 22s and plenty of ammo for them for my remaining range time.
Well, the week is not over and neither is my shooting for the week. That is if the weather cooperates. I am scheduled to shoot for my quarterly qualifications on Ground Hog's Day. Apparently Mother nature has something scheduled for that same day in the form of sleet, frozen rain and snow and lots of ice. At least that is what the weatherman has been telling us. It should start tomorrow and then go into Wednesday morning. I am not looking forward to more shoveling nor am I looking forward to having to reschedule my range day. I picked Ground Hog's Day because it is special for me and because there is no better day to go shooting than a day deadicated to a rodent like a woodchuck. I have a stick on Ground Hog target somewhere, I hope I remember to bring it along and that I get a chance to chuck a few pieces of led at it.
All the best,
Glenn B
